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Head to Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to see life by the Thames in a whole new light, with Zipwagen
Areas to the west of London are some of the most sought-after spots in the country, and after even a quick visit it’s not hard to see why. Great restaurants like the Fat Duck in Bray are thriving, pretty villages are immaculately kept, and boathouses on the Thames probably cost more than the average flat in other parts of the UK. But it’s also a beautiful area to explore and rich in history. On this drive, get to know the lanes and small towns sitting on the Thames.
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Head west out of London on the A40 from the Westway, not forgetting to keep a look out for the elegant art deco Hoover Building on the right soon after Hangar Lane. Keep going along here for about 30 miles (it becomes the M40 beyond the turn off for the M25).
When you get to the Handy Cross exit (junction 4), take the A404 south towards Marlow). This is where you start to notice your route criss cross the Thames. When you reach the second major roundabout, take the last exit following signs for Marlow. This feels like you’re going back on yourself, but the pretty country road is reward enough for that. It becomes the Bisham Road before you arrive in Marlow itself.
This is one of the most picturesque towns on the Thames. There are meadows here for a riverside stroll before you take your pick of the restaurants and superior pubs (or get tempted into the boutiques and little independent stores. Park up and take a walk over the 19th century suspension bridge. If it reminds you of weekend you once spent in Budapest, that might be because William Tierney Clark designed both this and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge over the Danube. If you fancy a wander, go in search of the house in which Mary Shelley finished her incredible horror story, ‘Frankenstein’ (Shelley House, on West Street).
When you hit the road again, head back over the bridge going south and out on the road you came in on. Soon you come to the left hand turn Quarry Wood Road, following signs to Cookham.
Despite appearing to be a small place on the river, charming Cookham has plenty of good places to stop for lunch too. Try the White Oak or the Kings Arms, or the Ferry which, as you’d imagine, is right on the river. The artist Stanley Spencer lived in Cookham and the gallery opened in his name can be found on the High Street (Cookham, SL6 9SJ). Follow the Cookham Walk which takes you around many sites which featured in his paintings.
From the centre of Cookham, take the A4094 north on Ferry Lane (crossing the Thames yet again) then take the right hand turning for Hedsor. Shortly Hedsor Lane brings you to another junction. Turn right along Hedsor Hill, continuing until the road becomes Bourne End Road. From here, follow signs to Cliveden House.
Nowadays this National Trust property is an ultra elegant hotel and spa. Wander the grounds, go boating, have a ramble through the woods or pit your wits against the yew tree maze, then take afternoon tea – you’ve earned it! As you sit in luxury, imagine what it must have been like in the time when socialite darling Nancy Astor lived here and hosted parties in the 1920s and ’30s. It was also one of the key locations in the events surrounding the Profumo Affair in the 1960s. At the time, the political fall out from this sexual scandal sent a shockwave through Parliament, but now all most people recall is that photograph of Christine Keeler on a plywood chair…
Cliveden House & Spa, Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF.
From Cliveden, turn right onto Bourne End Road, then left onto Heathfield Road. Follow signs for Beaconsfield and the M40 and join the motorway heading east for London at junction 2.